Volunteers at the Cancer Research UK store in Duke Street held a champagne reception to mark the occasion on Wednesday.

They were joined by Cyrille Thinnes, a doctoral student at the University of Oxford’s chemistry department, who is helping to develop new treatments of the disease and is sponsored by the charity. The shop was due to close for a week because it had a damp problem and needed rewiring, so the charity decided to take the opportunity to refurbish it at the same time.

The shop was given a new floor and repainted and more storage was created so it can accept more donations.

Mr Thinnes said: “Researching new ways to fight cancer is very expensive and it couldn’t be done without charities like Cancer Research UK.

Every time someone comes in here and buys something, they’re making a contribution towards the next generation of treatments.”

The reception was attended by former volunteer Wendy McQuilkin, 60, who is a cancer survivor but had to give up working at the shop because of a bad back. She said: “I haven’t been here for a while and I miss seeing everyone. The shop looks really nice.”

The shop is the charity’s second-best performing outlet in the Thames Valley.